Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Extremely Hard

Huge total volume across five dumbbell movements for seven rounds creates a long, grinding effort with significant cumulative fatigue. Movement complexity is moderate but includes unilateral overhead work, which taxes stability. Expect 60–90 minutes for most, with intense grip, midline, and shoulder endurance demands. Load is self-selected, but volume alone makes this extremely hard.

Benchmark Times for Painstorm XV

• Elite: <55:00
• Advanced: 60:00-65:00
• Intermediate: 70:00-75:00
• Beginner: >110:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (10/10): Very high total reps and repeated sets tax local muscular endurance in shoulders, grip, posterior chain, and core. The volume requires pacing and frequent small sets to avoid burnout.
• Endurance (7/10): Sustained elevated heart rate for 60–90 minutes without dedicated cardio. Long work bouts with minimal rest challenge aerobic base and breathing under load throughout the seven rounds.
• Power (5/10): Snatches and the thruster portion of man makers require hip-drive and crisp extension, but the workout rewards sustainable pacing over maximal explosiveness.
• Flexibility (4/10): Single-arm overhead lunges demand shoulder flexion, thoracic extension, and hip mobility to stabilize overhead while stepping. Limited mobility will increase energy cost and slow cycle time.
• Strength (4/10): Loads are self-selected and submaximal. Strength is a limiter only if weight is chosen too heavy; primary challenge is moving moderate load repeatedly, not maximal force production.
• Speed (3/10): This is not a sprint. Efficient, steady cycling with quick but controlled transitions beats rushing. Excessive speed early leads to breakdown and long rest later.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Lighter dumbbells (e.g., 25/15 lb each) • 5 rounds instead of 7 • Front-rack or suitcase lunges instead of overhead

Scaling Explanation

Reducing load, volume, or overhead complexity preserves the long, muscular-endurance stimulus while keeping movement quality and pacing sustainable.

Intended Stimulus

A long, steady grind. Pick a dumbbell weight that lets you keep moving with small, repeatable sets and short breaks. Shoulders, grip, and lungs will steadily burn. The right load allows you to maintain consistent pacing across all seven rounds without redlining or long, forced rests.

Coach Insight

Pace the first two rounds like rounds six and seven. Break early: 5-5 on man makers, 10-10 on deadlifts, 10-10-10 on snatches, 20-20 on swings, and controlled lunge steps. The one tip: choose a weight you can lunge overhead safely and repeatedly—this dictates your whole workout. Common mistakes: going too heavy, rushing man makers, and ignoring grip. Breathe intentionally and chalk judiciously.

Benchmark Notes

Times assume a sustainable dumbbell load. Beginners may need 100–110 minutes, while advanced athletes finishing under 60 minutes must keep sets small and transitions tight. Choose a weight you can move unbroken on smaller sets and in planned chunks on larger sets.

Modality Profile

All work is external-load weightlifting with dumbbells—no monostructural cardio and no gymnastics. The session’s challenge is moving moderate weights efficiently for very high volume while stabilizing overhead and managing fatigue.

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